Code lock



F. PLETERSKI Jan. 23, 1962 CODE LOCK 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 50,1957 AN QN F. PLETERSKI Jan. 23, 1962 CODE LOCK 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledApril so, 1957 F. PLETERSKI Jan. 23, 1962 CODE LOCK 4 Sheets-Sheet 5Filed April 30, 1957 Jan. 2s, 1962 F. PLETERSK. 3,017,761

CODE LOCK Filed April 30, 1957 4 SheelZS-Sheei; 4

3,617,761 CODE LOCK y Friedrich Pleterslri, lt/luhlgasse` 9/ 12,ViennaIV, Austria Filed Apr. 30, 1957, Ser. No. 656,052 v Claimspriority, application Austria May 15, 1956' 17 Claims. (Cl. 70-133)`This inventionrelatesto a code lock, which comprises a selector member,several adjustably arranged code discs forming a rigidiscanning'surface,and at least one shift-l able member, whichv can be advanced in steps inposi-r tions relative to the scanning surface which are determined bythe selected code word. The invention is essentially characterized inthat the selector member moves the shiftable member into a predeterminedposition relative to the scanning surface, which consists substantiallyof the peripheral surface of a solid of revolution, and by an actuatingmember which effects the stepwise advance and the return movement of theshifting member. The actuating member'is movable in all directions ofmovement of the selecto-r member and in addition thereto in a directionwhich is different from all directions of movement of theV selectormember. Because the selector member moves the shiftable member to theposition relative to the code discs which is determined by the code wordwhereas the advance of the shiftable member is then effected by anotheractuation as soon'as the relative position has been selected, theoperation of the code. lock -is facilitated and the correct settingofthe selector member isv neither tangible nor audible.

The previously known constructions of code locks have the disadvantagethat some part performs a clicking movement in the correct position ofthe selector member. This is an important aid to an unauthorized openingof the code lock. For instance, code locks comprising code discs anda-shiftable member coacting therewith are known, in which the member forsetting the code discs effects also the shifting movement ofthefshiftable member. In such a case the selector member must be turnedto the predetermined position and must then be reversely turned toactuate the shiftable'member. The actuation of these known devices isdifficult because the selector member can be` turned only in onedirection to the position which corresponds to the respective letter ordigit of the code word or code number and an excessive turning of theselector member can no longer be corrected by a reverse turning becausea Vreverse turning of the selector member will immediately cause anactuation of the shiftable member. This enables also the detection ofthe clicking of the selector member in the correct position, possiblywith the aid of sensitive instruments.

As contrasted therewith the construction according to the presentinvention has the advantage that the selector member can be freelyturned in either direction'to select the position of the shiftablemember relative to the code discs and that no part clicks in thecorrectly selected position to facilitate the detection of that correctposition. After the correct letter or correct number of the respectivecode word or code number has been freely preselected, the shiftablemember may be shifted-by the actuation of a separate actuating member.The selector member is suitably operable with the aid of a rotary knoband the actuating member is movable in the direction of the axis of therotary movement of the rotary knob. The shifting operation will beperformed onlyV when the selector member is in its correct position.When the selector member is in a'wrong position the axial movementremains ineffective or the previously achieved correct setting isentirely erased.

In a preferred embodiment of 'the invention the code discs which formthe scanning surface consist of axially aligned setting rings, which'areformed on one of their 2 peripheral surfaces with recesses whichcoactwiththef shiftable member. This affords the advantage that the'di-rectionof movement ofthe shiftable memberagreeswith-the3directionfofmovement of the actuating. mem-' ber,whichinvol-ves a simpler constructionand-Linereasesf' the reliabilityinoperation. TheV lnumber of code discsy and the length of the-code4word or code number may? be selected as desired withoutl complicatingvtheconi struction;V These advantagesA areY not achieved in the knownpriorart, in whichthe scanning surfaceis-formedl by the end facesoffseveral concentrically arranged rings.

Special advantages will be obtained if the recesses are arrangedaccordingto thel invention on the inner. peripheral surfaces of thersetting rings and consist of shallow depressions. Then the entiremechanism for feeding the shiftable member may be arranged Vwithin thesetting rings,` permittingV a particularly.space-saving construction.

AccordingY to the invention the selector member may be combined with theactuating-member in a simple manner to form asinglecontrol member, whichis rotatable and axially slidable like a push knob. This affords thead-4 vantage that only a single part needs to be passed through the doorto be locked, whereby obstacles to unauthorized opening are increased.In addition, this arrangement simplifies the operation, to turning avpushknob and pressing the same.

Because the setting rings forming Ithe code discs are adjustabletostationary positions in the construction whereas the selector memberis rotatably and axially slidably arranged, the setting rings may easilybe inserted according to the selected code word when the lock casing hasbeen opened and the code word may be altered without diculty.

An illustrativeembodiment of the code lockl according to the inventionis diagrammatically shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. l is a sectional view taken on line I-I of FIG. 2, the shiftablemember 28 being'turned` into the plane of section for greater clarity.

FIG. 2 is an elevation showing the lock as viewed from the inside, withthe casing cover removed.

FIG. 3 is an elevation `in the direction of the arrow III of FIG. 2 withthe shiftable member shown in section.

FIG. 4 is an elevation showing the casing cover as viewed from theinside, with inserted setting rings.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line V-V of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is an elevation showing a detail viewed in the direction of thearrow VI of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an elevation showing the selector handle as viewed from theoutside.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the specification and theseveral views of the drawings.

The code lock proper is mounted on the door leaf 1 to be locked whereasthe locking claws 3 which cooperate with the lockingmeans of the lockare atlixed to the door frame member 2 cooperating with the door leaf 1to be locked. A selector handle`4, which consists preferably oftransparent plastics, is disposed on the outside of the door leaf. Theselector handle 4 comprises a flange 5, which is provided on itsunderside with `letters or numerals in luminous paint. Thereby it isavoided that the letters are worn off or become illegible by the manualactuation as they might be if provided on the upper side; A fixed marker6 is provided for alignment with the letters during operation.

The selector handle 4 is slidingly tted a square shaft 7 and is urged bya conical spiral spring 8v against the surface of the door. The conicalspiral spring S bears on a disc 10, which is held by means of a headedpin 9 on the square shaft 7. Pressure is exerted on the disc 10 duringthe actuation of the lock.

The square shaft 7 extends through a bore 11 of the door leaf 1 to belocked and during assembly is cut to the length which corresponds to thethickness of door leaf 1. The shaft 7 represents the control member, inwhich the selector member and the actuating member are combined in asimple and suitable manner.

The casing 12 of the code lock is screwed by means of fixing screws 13to the inside of the door leaf. The casing 12 is closed by a cover 14mounted with a bayonet joint. The cover 14 is formed on its inside witha cylindrical counterbore 15, in which the setting rings 16 areinserted. The alphabet or any desired number of numerals are impressedupon the end face of each setting ring 16 (FIG. 4). The outer peripheralsurface of each setting ring 16 is formed with notches 17, each of whichcorresponds to one letter of the alphabet. The cover l14 has a web 18,which engages one of the notches 17, depending on the rotationalposition of the Setting ring, and prevents a rotation of the insertedsetting ring 16. When it is desired to set any desired word it issuicient to insert the setting rings in the cover in the readingsequence of the letters of the code word or of the numerals of the codenumber, the web 18 engaging only the notch 17 which corresponds to therespective letter of the code word (FIG. 4).

The square shaft 7 is formed at its end with an enlarged cylindricalportion 19, which is slidably guided in a bore 20 of a sleeve 21. Thesleeve 21 is axially non-displaceably but rotatably carried in the cover14 and is connected for rotation with the square shaft 7 by a flange 86,within which shaft 7 slides. The enlarged end 19 of the square shaft 7is formed with a bore 22, which contains a compression spring 23, whichbears on the inside of the cover 14. Pressure on the disc 10 will thuscause the enlarged cylindrical portion 19 of the square shaft 7 to bereciprocated in the bore 20 of the sleeve 21. This axial movement isreversible only at its end points. To this end a split locking ring 26of spring steel wire cooperates with a double cone 24 of the enlargedcylindrical portion 19 of the shaft 7 and with a pair of spacedtransverse grooves 25 of the bore 20. The depth of the grooves 25 issuch that the double cone 24 can pass on the inside through the 4lockingring 26 when the latter yields into one of the grooves 25. Because thegrooves are arranged near the end positions of the axial movement of thelocking ring 26 and the angle of the double cone is less than the angleof friction of steel in contact with steel (preferably degrees each) theaxial movement of the shaft 7 can be reversed only in the two endpositions because otherwise the locking ring is forced by the coneagainst the wall of the bore 20 to lock the longitudinal movement. Thus,an incomplete pressing of the actuating member Iand a resultingfunctional dsturbance of the code lock is safely avoided. To prevent theoperator from depressing shafts 7 and 19 until ring 26 would come belowthe groove 25 remote from knob 4, this groove is spaced from the bottomof the counterbore 15 a distance combining the width of the spring, whenunder compression and the width between the bottom portion of shaft 19above and the bottom of cone 24.

The sleeve 21 comprises a longitudinal slot 27 (FIGS. 2 and 3), in whicha shiftable member Consisting of a shiftable plate 28 is slidinglyguided in a close fit. To this end the sleeve 21 is formed with a bore29, which extends in the axial direction of the sleeve and in which aball 30 carried in an orice of the shiftable plate 28 is slidablyarranged (FIGS. 1 and 3). A window 31 of the shiftable plate 28 containsa spring 32, which bears at one end on the wall of the window 31 of theshiftable plate 28 and with the other end on the wall of the bore 29 ofthe sleeve 21. The window 31 is slightly eccentric relative to the yaxisof the bore 29 (see FIG. 1).

The shiftable plate 28 has a nose or abutment 33, which is urged by thespring 32 into a position in which it extends radically outwardly intoengagement with the inside cylindrical surfaces of the setting rings 16.Each setting ring 16 has in its inner periphery a shallow depression ornotch 34 (FIG. 4), in which the nose 33 of the shiftable plate 28 isslidably received when the shiftable plate 28 has been turned to thecorrect letter. Thus a rigid scanning surface is formed by the severalsurfaces of the setting rings superimposed as shown in the presentillustrative embodiment to form the surfaces of a hollow circularcylinder with depressions spaced therein at predetermined points.

A retracting pin 35 is pressed into shaft 7. As will be described morefully hereinafter, retracting pin engages a tooth 36 of the shiftableplate 28 and retracts the latter to its initial position when thecontrol member is pressed following a selection of a wrong letter.

In order to enable the shiftable plate 28 to be advanced, a pawl 37(FIG. 3) is provided, which is longitudinally slidably and pivotallycarried on a milled-0E portion 38 (see FIG. 2) of the sleeve 21. Thepawl is mounted with an interposed spring disc 39 on a pin 40, which ispressed into the sleeve 21, which passes through a slot 41 in pawl 37.The pawl is thereby mounted for limited sliding movement in a directiongenerally parallel with the axis of shaft 7. See FIGURE 3. Also pawl 37has a cam slot `42, which consists of two portions 42 and 42" formingtogether a wide angle. The slot 42 receives a pin 43 affixed to theshaft 7. The pawl 37 comprises also a tooth 44, which coacts withrecesses 45 in the shiftable plate 28. The distance between two recesses45 is suitably equal to the axial thickness or dimension of each of thesetting rings and the number of recesses corresponds to the number ofsetting rings. As is apparent from FIG. 3 the recesses 45 have asawtooth-like profile. As will be described more fully hereinafter thisconstruction ensures a stepwise advance of the shiftable plate 28responsive to each correct selection and pressing of the control member.

`In order to prevent a selection of an intermediate position between twocode letters, there is provided a detent pin 46, FIGURE l. This pin isguided in a bore 47 of the sleeve 21 and coacts at one end with a recess48 of the shaft 7 and at its reduced other end through the intermediaryof a spring 49 and ball 50 with notches 5l of the casing 12, see FIGURE2. These notches 51 correspond to the notches 17 of the setting rings.If a precise setting is made to a letter the ball 50 will slide into therespective notch 51 and under the influence of the inclination of therecess 48 the pin 46 can yield outwardly against the action of thespring 49 during the subsequent axial movement of the shaft 7. In thecase of an inaccurate setting the ball 50 will prevent the pin 46 fromgiving way because in that case the ball 50 does not lie in the notch 51but on the land between two notches, closer to the shaft 7. This devicewill also prevent a rotation of the shaft 7 when the axial movement ofthe shaft 7 has not been completed because in that case the shaft 7engages the pin to displace the latter more to the right whereby theball 50 is prevented from yielding out of the respective notch 51.

When the correct selection and the advancing movement of the shiftableplate 28 have been completed a stop 52 provided on the shiftable plate28 will lie in the plane of the latch or locking bolt 53 as shown uponFIG. 1. The locking bolt 53 has an arm formed with a tooth 54 (FIG. 2)so that a rotation of the selector handle in the sense of arrow a ofFIG. 2 will cause the stop S2 of the shiftable plate 28 to engage thetooth 54 of the bolt 53 and move it to the left to its non-lockingposition. The bolt 53 has also a stop 55, which extends slightly out ofthe plane of the bolt and is suitably welded thereto, and whichcooperates with a counterstop 56 provided on the sleeve 21 (FIG. l) sothat a rotation of the selector handle in the sense of arrow b of FIG. 2will enable the bolt 53 to be moved to the right to its lockingposition, in which its right-hand end is disposed between two lockingballs 57, which seat in recesses in i will be explained hereinafter.

the locking claws" 3 (FIG.'2), the righthandedof the locking boltpreventing the locking balls 57 from yielding inwardly.` l

A plate 59 pivoted on a shaft 58`in'l the casing` 12y comprises a pinfwhiehis held by a spring 61 gripped in the casing 12.`= The plate59`has` vastop-62., which lies normally in a narrowy slot 63 (FIG. 4) ofthe' cover 14 to prevent rotationofthe cover 14 and ari'opening' of thebayonet joint between the`cver"14andlthe casing 12. The plate 59 hasalsotwo stops 64 and 64",` by means of which the plate59 canbe"pivotally'moved on the shaft 58 to move the stop 62 to apositioninw'liich it can slide into a guide I65?(FIGL4)formedfintheco'ver 14 tolenable theremoval of--the latter'. This?movement" of the plate' 59 will be described morefully`her'ei'naffte'rlI The cover 14 maybe affixed' tothe casinglzfandthe door leaf 1 by a screw' 66, which is`- sitablypreverited from`being knocked out by a'transvers'eblt 67l arranged inthe door leaf`1.

The fbolt 53 has'anfapertureifsf-which comprises a part y68shaped-according"tvanarc'fofia circle an'dcon-y tinued by an' elongatedpart 68"' (FIGf' 2). Thefca'sing hasalso an a'pertiir`e69',`whichfcon'sis'ts-alsoof apart 69 shaped a'ccor'dingto anfarcofi'acirelel'and continued by an elongated party 69". A pin`-70=`xedlwitli aslide' 71 arranged on the outside of the easing cooperates with saidapertures 68,769.` The slide 71 i's1f*prevented from' being removedby"a"clip"72` engaging a reduced 'portiori'ofk the pin 70 (FIG.y5),-and'has' a window 73, 'i'n'l which marks 74',- 74", 74'arrangedfinf'xed position on the casing and having preferably differentcolorsvarevisible depend'- ing on theposition ofthe slide:- ,Forinstance; the mark 74' may be green, the mark 74" maybe red and the mark74" may be white'.

The'pin 70 of the 'slide' 71 consistssubstant'ially of two parts 75 and76. As is apparentl from FIG. 6 the pin portion 75`is Vcylindricalandhas only a milledlof portionr77 on its sidel facing the window 73. Onthe other hand, as is apparent from FGQZ, the pin portion 76 is ofsemi-circular shape aridihas:amilled-oifportion 78.

The casing 12"is` c o'vered adjacent to the slide by 'a hardened 'steelplate 79 (FIG. l).

i The locking balls 57` are urgedotwardly/ by a spring 80 and aresuitably arranged so that the distance vc (FIG. between the ball centersandthe base surface of the locking claws 3 correspondsatleastsubstantially to the distance d (FIG. 2) between the ball centers andthe outside surface of the casing 12.

The 'ange 5 ofthe'selector handle 4 is provided'with a locking mark 81(FIGS. 1 and 7), the purpose of which l To enable an actuation also byblind persons the locking vmark 81 isl embossed (FIG. l). This tangiblestarting point for each selectionren'ables the selection of each setcode word -to be made without seeing the `letters because the severalvletters will be exactly indicated'by -a click (ball ,50 and notches 51);the actuating member is pressed after each selection of a letter. The"window 73 of the slide 71 enables the operation to be feltby blindlpersons also on the inside ofthe door. Even the vsetting of a new codeword may be eiected by a blind person because the setting rings have nonotchu17 between the letters Z and A, as is apparent frornFIG. 4, andthe letters are suitably impressed on the end face of the rings so thata blind person can find out and set the desired let-ter of the code wordby touch. I l

The'locking claws 3 are affixed to the door frame 2 by screws 82, whichYare suitably prevented vfrom being knocked out by at least onetransverse pin 83.

The locking bolt 53 maybe secured in its various functional positions bya detent ball 85 received in grooves 84.

Hereinafter the various functionsY of the code lock according'totheinvention'will be described more fully.

Theselectorhan'dlel is turned either clockwise orcounter-clockwi'seuhtil the selected letter of the code wor'disin'registerwitli the Vmark' 6. The shiftable plate 28 is in its initialposition',v in which iti is entirely in the cover 14'. The rotation ofthesele'ctor handle'4 causes the sleeve 21 and the shiftable plate 28carried thereby to'rota'te'until the nose 3,3 ofthe 'shiftable'plateZSe111 ter's the depression 34 of tlie iirst setting ring. Then the spring32 swingsftlie shiftableplate 28' radially outwardly about the" ball`30.Thegcontrol member is then depressed, manually, and the 'shaftx 7`andthe retracting pin 35 pressed in the same are axially moved, with theretracting pin 35 sliding below the outwardly swung shiftable plate 28,which thereby is not retracted (FIG. 1). During the axial movement ofthe shaft 7 against spring 23 the pin 43 inserted in the shaft slides inythe cam vslot k42 of the pawl 37 (FIG. 3). As long as the pin 43 slidesin the part 42 of the cam slot the pawl 37 is swung to the'left, as seenin FIG. 3, whereby its tooth 44 is disengaged fromthe recesses 45 in theshiftable plate 28. Then the pin 43 slides in the slot part 42" and thepawl 37 remains unmoved since slot rpart .42" extends radially of pivotpin 40. When the pin 43l has reached the end of the slot part 42" thepawl 37 will be moved along, the pin 40 slidingvin the guide slot 41 ofthe pawl- 37. When the shaft 7 isthen returned under the action of thespring 23 the pin 43 will slide rst in the slot part 42, the pawlremaining unmoved. When the pin 43 slides then in the slot part 42 thepawl`37 willbe swung about the axis of the Vboltl 40 to cause the tooth44 to engage the next following recess 45 of the shiftable plate 28.`When the pin 43 hast reached the end'of the slot part 42' the pawl 37and with it the shiftabler plate 28 will be carried along to advance theshift'able plate'28 tothe next following setting ring. Then the next'following letter of the code word must be selected, whereafter thecontrol member is again depressed, etc. and the operation repeated.After the last letter of the code word has been selected and the controlmember has then-been depressed the shiftable plate reaches theposition'shown in FIG. 1, in which the stop 52 of the shiftable plate 28is in the same plane as the locking bolt 53 so that a counter-'clockwiserotation of the selector handle in the sense of the arrow a (FIG. 2)will cause the stop 52 to engage the tooth 54 of the bolt, whereby thebolt 53 is pulled to the left to its nonl-ocking position. Now the balls57 can yield inwardly against the action of the spring and the door canbe opened.

After' a wrong selection the nose 33 of the shiftable plate 28 does notlie in a depression 34 of the setting ring so that the shiftable plate28 is forced inwardly. The pressing of the control member will thencause the retracting pin 35, which engages the tooth 36 of the shiftableplate 28, to move the latter back to its initial position. The code wordmust now be selected again, each selection of a letter being followed bya pressing of the control member.

Opening the lock from the inside The lock may be opened from the insidein a simple manner by pushing the slide 71 to the right until the greenmark 74 provided on the casing appears in the window 73. The bolt 53 iscarried along to the left by 'the pin portion 76 disposed in the lowerpart of the arcuate section 68' of the aperture 68. Then the lock isopen.

`Closing the lock from the outside To this end the selector handle 4 isfirst turned in the sense of the arrow b of FIG. 2 until the lockingmark 81 is in register with the mark 6. By this operation the shiftableplate 28 is turned so that its stop 52 is disposed below the tooth 54 ofthe bolt, whereby the shiftable plate 28 is urged inwardly and will bepushed back to its initial position by the retracting pin 35 followingthe subsequent axial movement of the square shaft 7 under the fingerpressure exerted on the disc 10. To open the lock from the outside it isthen necessary to make a correct selection of the code word and to pressthe control member completely after each letter.

Closing the lock form the inside After the door has been closed theslide 71 is pushed to the right until one half of each of the green andred marks 74 and 74 appear in its window 73. During that movement of theslide the bolt 53 is carried along by the pin portion 76 of the slide 71lying in the lower part of the arcuate aperture 68' of the bolt (FIG. 2)to a position in which its right-hand end is disposed between thelocking balls 57 so that the latter cannot yield towards each other andthe door cannot be opened. To open the door from the outside it wouldnow be necessary to select the several letters of the code word andpress the control member, whereafter the bolt 53 can be pulled to theleft to its open position by turning the selector handle 4counter-clockwise in the sense of the arrow a of FIG. 2.

Locking up from the inside When it is desired to lock up the door fromthe inside in such a manner that it cannot be opened from the outsideeven if the code word is properly operated the slide 71 and with it thebolt 53 is pushed to the right until only the red mark 74" provided onthe casing appears in the window 73 of the slide 71. In that positionthe bolt 53 locks the balls 57 and is pushed to such an extent to theright that its tooth 54 is outside the path of the stop 52 of theshiftable plate 2.8` and is no longer engaged by the stop 52 when theselector handle 4 is turned in the sense of the arrow a of FIG. 2.

Locking up from the outside When it is `desired to lock up the lock insuch a manner that it cannot be opened from the inside, the slide 71 ismoved to the left until the green mark 74 appears in its window 73. Whenthe door is open and the slide 71 is in that position the slide can beturned through 180 so that the white mark 74 appears in the window 73 ofthe slide 71. That rotation is possible because in this position of theslide the arcuate pin portion 75 can slide in the arcuate part 69 of theaperture 69` in the casing 12.. At the same time the pin portion 76 ofthe slide 71 is turned out of the arcuate part 68 of the aperture 68 inthe bolt 53. The slide 71 cannot be turned when the `door is closedbecause the locking claws 3 prevent a rotation of the slide when thedoor is closed.

When the slide is in position white and the door is closed, followed byturning the selector handle 4 in the sense of arrow b of FIG. 2 to pushthe bolt 53 to the right to its locking position, the pin portion 76sliding in the elongated part 68" of the aperture 68 of the bolt, thelock cannot be opened from the inside because the slide 71 being guidedbetween the locking claws 3 cannot be turned and cannot be displacedeither because the pin portion 75 lies in the arcuate part 69' of thecasing aperture 69.

Because of this operating the lock can be initiated only when the dooris open, and a misuse by persons on the outside of the door isprecluded.

Change of the code word r code number For this purpose the screw 66 isloosened first. While the door is opened the first four letters of thecode word are then selected in succession and the control member isdepressed after each selection. Thereafter the stop 52 of the shiftableplate 2S lies in the same plane as thc plate 59 which carries the stop62 preventing a rotation of the casing cover 14. Now the selector handle4 is set to the letter G but without subsequent pressing. Depending onthe direction in which this rotation of the selector handle has beenperformed the stop 52 will engage one of the stops 64 and 64 of theplate 59, whereby the plate 59 is turned on its shaft 58 against theaction of the spring 61, which holds it in its position of rest. Duringthat rotation the stop 62 is swung either to or from the square shaft 7;in the latter case the stop 62 is guided into the guide 65 of the casingcover 14 (FIG. 4). Thereupon the casing cover 14 can be turned to openthe bayonet joint between the casing cover 14 and the casing 12. Thenthe cover 14 can be removed, the setting rings 16 can be taken out ofthe cover and reinserted into any desired position, in which they are bythe web 18 of the cover 14 engaging one of the notches 17. As the cover14 is mounted back on, the selector handle is again turned to the letterG because the stop 62 which prevents a rotation of the cover 14 is thenswung out. Then the screw 66 is screwed in and after the closing markhas been selected the control member is pressed to erase ythe correctselection of the first four letters of the code word.

'Ihe fixing screws 13 of the casing being arranged inside the casing orcasing cover they can be loosened only when the cover has been removed.A removal of the cover is possible only when at least part of the codeword has been correctly selected, followed by pressing after eachselection. Thus, a discovery of the set code word and a removal of theentire lock by unauthorized persons is prevented whether the door isclosed or open and the present invention provides a door lock whichcannot be removed by unauthorized persons even when the door is open. Inorder to prevent the screws from being knocked out they may be securedby transverse pins just as the cover fixing screw 66 and the screws 82for fixing the locking claws.

The use of a square shaft as a part of the control member has theadvantage that it enables the lock to be mounted in four positions forright-hand and left-hand doors and on the upper or lower side ofdrawers. To this end it is sutcient to push the selector handle 4 in thedesired position on the square shaft 4 and to drive in the mark 6 in thecorresponding position.

I claim:

1. In a combination lock, a casing, a plurality of discrete rings`stacked in said casing in end-to-end relation coaxial of a common axis,each said ring having a notch in its inner periphery yand beingindependently adjustable about said axis, means fixing each said ringrelatively to said casing, in a selected one of a plurality of positionsof rotational adjustment about said axis a plate shiftable axially alongand within said rings, said plate having an abutment and a sequence ofrecesses extending parallel with the axis of said rings, first meanscarried by said cas- `ing and manually operable to rotate said plate toalign said yabutment with the notch in each said ring in succession, andpawl means manually operable to engage each said recess in sequence, to-advance said plate through said rings, step by step, when said abutmentis' correctly aligned with the notch in each respective ring.

2. In a combination lock, a casing having a cylindrical recess having anaxis of symmetry and a web fixed with the surface of said recessparallel with said axis, a plurality of discrete rings fitting saidrecess in stacked, end-toend relation coaxial of said axis, there beinga plurality of angularly-spaced notches in the outer periphery of eachsaid ring, each notch being adapted to t over about said web whereby toindividually fix each said ring relatively to said casing, in a selectedposition of rotational adjustment about said axis there being a notch inthe inner periphery of each said ring a bolt carried by said casing formovemen-t between locking and unlocking positions, a plate -shiftableaxially in and along said rings and having an integral abutment, a stop,and a series of recesses spaced along said axis, means mounting saidplate within said rings for rotation about and translation along saidaxis, first means manually operable to rotate said plate to align saidabutment with the notch in each said ring in succession, pawl meansoperable to engage each said recess in sequence, to translate said platestep by step through each ring when said abutment is aligned with thenotch thereof, and means for manually operating said pawl means, saidlast-named means returnin-g said plate to initial position if said platehas not been rotated into alignment, as aforesaid, said stopbeingengageable with said bolt to move the same lto unlocking position,only when said plate has traversed the `final one of sai-d plurality ofrings.

3. A combination lock, comprising, a casing having a recess symmetricalabout an axis, a plurality of rings in said recess, in end-to-endrelation- Icoaxial of said axis', each said ring having a notch in itsinner periphery, means releasably xing each said ring in a selectedposition of rotational adjustment about said axis, a sleeve fittingwithin said rings for rotation only about said axis, a shaft rotatablymounted in said casing coaxial of said axis and having an axiallyslidable non-rotatable connection with said sleeve, plate means, meansmounting said plate to said sleeve for rotation as a unit therewith andfor radial movement in a plane through said axis, an abutment fixed withsaid plate means and translatable through each said ring only whenrotationally laligned with the notch therein, means responsive to axialtranslation of said shaft to effect corresponding step-by-steptranslation of said plate means through each ring in succession, whensaid abutment is aligned as aforesaid, a lock bolt movable in saidcasing between locking and unlocking positions, and sto-p means fixedwith said plate means and engageable with said bolt to move the same tounlocking position in response to rotation of said shaft, only when saidabutment has traversed the final one of said rings.

4. A combination lock as in claim 2, said casing including a body and acover sep-arable therefrom, a bayonet joint connection between said bodyand cover and cover and releasable in response to rotation of said coverabout said axis, latch means fixing said cover in position againstrotation about said axis, said stop means being axially positioned toengage and release said latch means, only when said abutment hastraversed the penultimate one of said rings.

5. In an assembly `for a combination lock, a sleeve having a first axisof symmetry and an outwardly-opening slot in a plane through said `firstaxis, a plate fitting said slot for movement in said plane andtranslation along said axis, means pivoting one end of said plate on asecond axis offset from said first -axis and normal to said plane, aplurality of discrete recesses in said plate and extending inequally-spaced relation parallel with said axis, and ratchet meanspivotally mounted to said sleeve and having a nose engageable with saidrecesses', in sequence.

6. In an assembly for a combination lock, a sleeve having a first axisof symmetry and an outwardly-opening slot in a plane through said firstaxis, a plurality of rings fitting about said sleeve and slot, inend-to-end relation, each said ring having -a notch in its innerperiphery, eans fixing said rings in predetermined rotational positionabout said axis, a plate fitting said slot for movement in the planethereof and for pivotal movement about a second axis normal to saidplane, lan abutment fixed Iwith said plate 'and traversable through eachsaid ring, in succession, only when rotationally aligned with thenotch-therein, spring means urging said plate outwardly iabout saidsecond axis, said plate having a series of recesses equally spaced in a-direction parallel with said first axis and corresponding in number to.the number of said rings, a shaft coaxial of said axis and having asplined connection with said sleeve to manually rotate thesame,a pawlmounted to said sleeve for sliding pivotal movement Vrelatively thereto,and having a nose adapted to engage in each said recess in succession,land `a pin-and-slot connection be# tween -said shaft and said pawl andoperable in response to axial translation of said shaft, first toretract said pawl to free the same from said plate and then tomovesaidpawl along said axis by a distance equal to the spacing betweencontiguous ones of said recesses.

7. In a lock, a casing, a shaft journaled in said casing for manualrotation about an axis and for translation along said axis, a sleeverotatable in said casing on said laxis in response to rotation of saidshaft, ring means fixed in -said casing about said sleeve coaxially ofsaid axis and having a plurality of angularly-related notches in itsinner periphery in respective'sequentially-disposed planesnormal to saidaxis', plate means rotatable `with said sleeve about said axis and*including 4an yabutment traversable through said ringmeansA only whensequentially rotationally aligned with each succeeding vnotch therein,means interacting between said sleeve and shaft requiring a full axialtranslation of said shaft between first and second limiting positions',means actuated by laxial translation iAof said shaft to second positionmoving-said plate vthrough each notch in succession when its abutmentisrotationally aligned therewith, `and means actuated by`tra`nsl'ation ofsaid shaft restoring'said plateto first pos'itionalong said axis unlessits abutment isv rotational-ly aligned with the nextk succeeding notchin said ring means. f

8l In a lock, a casing, a shaft journaled infsaid casing `for manu-alrotation about an *axis andfor translation along said axis between -afirst and a second limiting position,a bolt translatable in said casingtoward and from said axis and including a hooked end adjacent and offsetfrom said shaft, a sleeve rotatable in said casing on said axis, ringmeans fixed in said casing about said sleeve coaxi'ally of said axis andhaving Ia'plurality ofangularly relatedV notches in its Yinner peripheryin respective sequentially disposed planes normal to said axis, platemeans rotatable with said sleeve about said axis including an'abutmenttraversable through said ring means only when sequentially rotationallyaligned with each succeeding notch therein, means interposed betweensaid sleeve and shaft requiring a full axial translation of said shaftbetween said positions, `means actuated by said shaft restoring saidplate to first position along said yaxis unless its abutment isrotationally aligned with the next succeeding notch in said ring means,and means fixed with said plate means and engage-able with the hookedend of said bolt to translate said bolt in response to rotationof saidshaft, only after traversing the final one of said plurality of notchesand movement of said plate to second position along said axis.

9. In a combination lock, a casing, a bolt movable vin said casingbetween first and second positions, a sleeve mounted in said casing forrotation `about its longitudinal axis, a shaft mounted in said casingfor rotation on said `axis and for translation therealong, meansconnecting said shaft `and sleeve for rotation as a unit about saidaxis, a plurality of discrete setting rings in said casing in stackedrelation and individually adjustably fixed coaxial of said axis, eachsaid ring having ya depression in its inner periphery, a bolt-operatingplate mounted in said sleeve `for rotation therewith land for slidingpivotal movement with respect thereo, abutment means fixed with saidplate and constructed and arranged to pass a contiguous ring only whenrotationally aligned with the depression therein, ratchet means carriedby said sleeve and engaging said plate to move the same through eachsaid depression in sequence, .an operating connection between said shaftand ratchet means, and means fixed with said plate and movable therewithinto position for operating said bolt from first to `second position,only when said plate has moved along said axis to pass its vabutmentmeans through the final one of said rings.

10. In a combination lock, a casing, a plurality of rings adjustablyfixed in said casing in superposed stacked relation about a common axis,each said ring having a notch in its inner periphery, a sleeve fittingw-ithin said rings for rotation about said axis, a bolt-operating platemounted with said sleeve for rotation as a unit therewith and forpivotal sliding movement in a plane through said axis, said plate havingan abutment movable through each said ring, in succession, only whenrotationally aligned with the notch therein, a shaft having one endjournaled within said sleeve for rotation about said axis, a splineconnection between said shaft and said sleeve, whereby said shaft isaxially slidable in and relatively to said sleeve between first andsecond limiting positions but constrained to rotate as a unit therewith,interengaging ratchet means between said sleeve and plate, meansoperated by and in response to axial translation of said shaft betweensaid positions to actuate said ratchet means to move said plate,step-by-step to position advanced through each said ring, in succession,a bolt, and means fixed with said plate engageable with said bolt toretract the same, only when said plate has traversed all said rings.

11. A lock as in claim 10, and means connected with said shaft andengaging said plate to return the same tov first position only when theabutment thereof is not rotationally aligned with the next succeedingnotch.

12. In a lock, a casing, a plurality of discrete stacked ringsrotationally radjustably fixed in said casing about a common axis, eachsaid ring having a notch in its inner periphery, a sleeve fitting withinsaid rings and rotatable about said axis, a ybolt-operating membermounted to said sleeve for rotation as a unit therewith and for pivotalsliding movement relatively to said sleeve in a plane through said axis,said member having an integral abutment movable through each said ring,in succession, only when rotationally aligned with the notch therein,whereby said abutment may be -advanced in translation along said axisand through said rings, from an initial position on the remote side ofan end one of said rings, to a final position on the remote side of theother end ring of said plurality of rings, a shaft rotatably mounted insaid casing for manual translation in and along said axis between firstand second limiting positions separated by a distance greater than thecombined axial dimension of said rings, interengaging means between saidsleeve and shaft constraining the latter to a full stroke between saidlimiting positions, ratchet means carried by said sleeve and engagingsaid member to hold the same in position advanced through each said ringin succession, a bolt movable in said casing and including meansengageable by said member in response to rotation of said shaft andsleeve only when said member has advanced to carry its abutment to finalposition, and interengaging means between said shaft and memberreturning said member to initial position in response to a stroke ofsaid shaft, unless said abutment lies within one of said notches.

13. In a combination lock, a casing, a plurality of superposed stackeddiscrete rings each adjustably fixed in said casing in a predeterminedposition rotationally about a common axis, each said ring having a notchin its inner periphery, a sleeve fitting said rings for rotation aboutsaid axis, there being a slot in said sleeve in a plane through saidaxis, a bolt-operating plate having a radially outward abutment andmounted in said slot, means mounting one end of said plate for pivotalsliding motion in and along said slot, means urging the other end ofsaid plate radially outwardly about the pivot thereof, said plate beingmovable along said axis through each said ring, in succession, only whensaid abutment is rotationally aligned with the notch therein, a shaftslidably fitting said sleeve and connected for rotation as a unittherewith, ratchet and pawl means operated by axial sliding `of saidshaft to advance said plate step-by-step through ,said rings to anunlocking position, and means carried by said plate and engageable withsaid bolt to shift the :same to unlocking position only when said plateis in :said unlocking position.

14. In an assembly for a combination lock, a plurality `of stacked ringsfixed coaxially of a common axis, each said ring having a notch in itsperiphery, a shaft mounted ifor rotation on said axis and fortranslation therealong, :abutment means, means mounting said abutmentmeans for rotation with said shaft and for independent rotation in aplane through said axis and for translation along said axis, meansconstraining said shaft to a full stroke in :translation between firstand second limiting positions, -ratchet means operated by translation ofsaid shaft and moving said abutment means step-by-step through eachsucceeding ring when rotationally aligned with the notch therein, toadvance said abutment means from a first to a second limiting positionthrough all said rings in succession, and means fixed with said shaftand engaging said abutment means to return the same to first positionwhen not rotationally aligned with the notch in the next succeedingring.

15. In an assembly for a combination lock, a sleeve having a first axisof symmetry and an outwardly-opening slot in a plane through said firstaxis, a plate fitting said slot for movement in said plane andtranslation along :said axis, means pivoting one end of said plate on asec- Iond axis offset from said first axis and normal to said plane, ashaft having one end slidably fitting said sleeve and connected forrotation about said first axis as a unit therewith, spring means urgingsaid shaft in one direction into a limiting position of translationalong said first axis, ratchet means engageable with said plate totranslate the same along said axis, and means operated by translation ofsaid shaft in said one direction to operate said ratchet means.

16. In an assembly for a combination lock, a sleeve having an axis ofsymmetry and a slot lying in a plane through said axis and openingoutwardly along said sleeve, a plate mounted in said slot for slidingrelatively to said sleeve along said axis and for pivotal movement abouta second axis normal to said plane, there being a series of recesses insaid plate equally spaced in a direction extending parallel with saidaxis, and means yieldingly urging said plate in rotation about saidsecond axis.

17. An assembly as in claim 16, a shaft having one end slidably fittingsaid sleeve and having a splined connection therewith, a pawl mounted tosaid sleeve for sliding relatively thereto along said axis and forpivotal movement about an axis generally parallel with said plate, saidpawl including a nose adapted to engage the recesses in said plate insuccession, there being a cam slot in said pawl, a pin fixed with saidshaft and riding in said slot, to first retract said pawl from saidplate and then, while holding said pawl retracted, to axially translatesaid pawl by a distance equal to the spacing between contiguous ones ofsaid recesses, by and in response to translation of said shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS438,505 Tate Oct. 14, 1890 481,551 Daniels Aug. 30, 1892 1,758,203 SegalMay 13, 1930 1,964,157 Holtzman June 26, 1934 1,989,780 Woodward Feb. 5,1935 FOREIGN PATENTS 164,704 Great Britain Jan. 16, 1922 581,531 GreatBritain Oct. 16, 1946 Mil A-

